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Toutaginoi (Lugian Late Spearmen)
This unit represents relatively small groups of men that followed a particularly successful war chief. These men tended to be better armed, were skilful in the use of weapons, and displayed far greater resolve in battle than any man of the common levy. Description ('Defenders of the Nation') In the wake of the Cimbric migration much of the Gran Celteria and greater Germania reeled for years thereafter from widespread destruction, depopulation, and the dissolution of the local, as well as the regional status quo. In the broadest sense of this context, the reformation of the Toutaginos unit represents a shift away from the dominant La Tene armaments and the emergence of a relatively new tradition primarily based in what is now modern Poland. Overall, the trends in the development of armaments, reflected by the Toutaginos unit, as with the evolution of the battle tactics in general, were of course based on the progressive proliferation of iron. This was largely due to further advancements in the methods of extracting and smelting bog iron. Although an important source of ore used to make domestic tools, better grades of iron continued to be imported from the mining centers found throughout the upper Vistula basin, particularly for the manufacture of high quality weapons. In areas with even greater demands, the attributes of the readily available low-grade bog iron also inspired a number of important innovations in the design and production of armaments. With this said the late period Toutaginos unit remained an elite formation composed of 'picked men,' recruited by war chiefs, who in turn were retained by district chieftains in order to bolster their levies. The men of the late period Toutaginos unit were dressed much the same as the early period. They were protected from the elements by a wool tunic, trousers, and a large cloak, while a leather hooded-shoulder cape, a leather tunic and a large leather covered hexagonal shield made of wood was used to guard against the outrageous fortunes of battle. Above all else, the hexagonal shield provided a greater degree of protection and more flexibility within the restrictions imposed by formation-fighting. Each man carried a single standardized spear of improved design that was efficiently used together with the hexagonal shield at close-quarters. They also were armed with several short javelins each tipped with a narrow iron point, called the 'Framea.' This weapon was used to strike at a distance, or face-to-face would just as easily put-down a foe. The Framea were often discharged in conjunction with a huge collection of other missiles to inspire an enemy to quickly close and commence hand-to-hand combat. Likewise these men sing before a fight that Hercules is with them as the greatest and strongest of all warriors, and unequalled, strides into battle. That they also recite songs, called 'Baritum' according to Tacitus, 'to inflame the will, and from the sing-song style forecast a melee's outcome. In fact, to agitate and instil fear, accordingly course notes are fashioned, not so much an utterance, as to discern a manly-tone. They strive for a particular harsh sounding unruly roar, with mouth taut to shield; thereby reverberated their voice is swollen deep and full'. Category:Units Category:Units available only in EB2 Category:Lugia Category:Eleutheroi